Said jankus



\ T lll/lll Oct. 16 1923.

S. OTTO ET AL VABSORBING STILL FOR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. l0, 1923 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. OTTO ET AL ABSORBING STILL FOR REFRIGERATI'NG APPARATUS Filed'-Jan. 10

uvemoz Oct. 1.*6, 1923.

Oct. 16 1923. 1,470,638

S. OTTO ET AL ABsoHBING STILL Foa REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. l0 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented ct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

STUART QTTO AND JACK CARL JANKUS, OF SCR-ANTN, EENNSYLVANEA; SAID JANKU'S ASSIGNOR TG SAID OTTG.

ABSORBING STILL FOR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Application led January 10, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, STUART TTO and JACK CARL JANKUs, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Absorbing Stills for Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

ln the type of refrigerating apparatus to which this invention relates there is provided a receptacle adapted to act alternately a still and as an absorber. TWhen serving as a still the contents are heated so that refrigerant gas is driven off from the liquid, delivered to a condenser where it is cooled and liquefied under pressure, and then delivered to a receiver or evaporator. `When the refrigerant gas, or the desired part thereof, is thus separated and liquefied, the heat is shut off, and the liquid remaining in the still is cooled or permitted to cool, whereupon it reabsorbs the gas, causing a reduction in pressure, an evaporation of the liquefied gas in the evaporator, and the desired cooling or refrigerating effect by reason of such evaporation. 1When the liquefied gas has evaporated and been reabsorbed, the heating of the receptacle is begun again. The length of the successive heating and cooling periods may be controlled automatically or manually as desired, and in accord-v ance with the details of construction, pro portions of the parts, cooling effect to be produced, ete.

In order that the distilling operation may be satisfactorily carried on, it is desired that the outlet for the gas be at a point above the liquid level, while to secure the most satisfactory absorbing action it is important that the returning gas be ydelivered to the lower part of the body of the liquid. This deep delivery causes a circulation of the liquid due to the difference in speciiic gravity of the lighter strong liquor freshly formed at the point of gas delivery and the upper heavier weak liquor. It also better insures complete absorption of the gas before it can escape from the liquid at the-upper surface of the latter.

Various schemes have been proposed to accomplish this result. It has been proposed that the gas pipe have separate branches controlled by valves to insure flow through Serial No. 611,810.

a branch leading from the top during the heating operation, and through a branch leading to the bottom during the cooling or absorbing operation, but positively actuated valves are hard to keep properly packed against leakage to or from the atmosphere under the varying pressures, and automatic check valves often fail to close gas-tight, due to particles of scale or other solid matter lodging on the seating surface.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved construction in which returning gas is delivered adjacent to the bottom of the absorption chamber but all valves for controllingthe gas flow to or from the absorbing still are eliminated, and the desired delivery and return of the insured without the use of any moving parte whatsoever.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved construction whereby vapors produced by the evaporation of the liquid in the still are cooled and condensed before leaving the still, so that the gas leav ing the still during the heating period is substantially dry, and there is little or no loss of the absorbing liquid from the still.

A further object is to provide a double compartment construction in which substantially all of the liquid is automatically transferred back and forth from one compartment to the other, and the distilling operation takes place while the liquid is in one compartment and the absorbing operation While the liquid is in the other compartment.

A further object is to secure the automatic transfer of the. liquid solely by the effect of the proper changes in temperature and pressure which are produ-ced to accomplish the distilling and absorbing operations. Other objects and advantages of our improved construction will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be apparent from a consideration of the specific forms illustrated in the acc0mpanying drawings.

In these drawings:

F 1 is a vertical section through a device constructed in accordance with our invention, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar sections of other forms which the invention may assume.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 there is provided a receptacle l() subdivided into two compartments lland 12 by means 'through these coils durinq mi ma.:

-T he compartment or lhe ab orbing chamber7 .it or hun "'er l2 as the .main distillingv chamber. The sole 'means oit communication between these chambers is conduit means shown as a pipe M, one end l5 oi which is near the bottom et the chamber l2, and the other end 16 oi? which is in the 'form et a perifoii'ate l head adjacent to the bottonil o?" the chamber ll. The pipe passes through A'he partition 13 at a point above the normal liquid level in the chamber ll.

The absorbing chamber ll is provided with any suitable means tor cooling it during the absorbing' action. his is illustrated as a cooling coil 17 through which 'Water or other cooling medium may circulate and the lioiv ot Which may be controlled in any suitable manner7 as lier instance by manually or automatically operated val not shown.

For heating` the l A id during the distilling?r period, any suitable .term et hea-ting means may be employed. ln the construetion'illustrated the tvvo chambers il and 11,2 are side by side, and the iartition l?, is substantially vertical. Beneath the tun chambers there may be a burner lh.. and extending' horizontally through both chambers adjacent to the loiver portion thereof, there may be an open-ended tube lf) Within which one or more electric heaters or resistance units 20 may be inserted. By using' two such movable Within the tube 19. the main heatina' etliect may be produced in the portion of. he tule with'tu 'the chamber l2 or in the portion ol' the tube in the chamber ll, o1' the heating effect may be distributed equally. This electric heatirfr may be employed in addition to the y@as heating'. or either torni ol" heating:T may be employed to the exclusion et the other.

The sole gas connection tor the refrigerant gas is at the upper part the chamber l2, and is shown in the torni oi" a pipe 2l which leads to the condenser or other part ot the system. ln the upper part. oit the chamber l2 above the normal, liquid level but below the end ot the pipe 21, there is provided means for drying' the retri{""u'ant gas by condensiupr out n it the stegen or Water vapor resulting from an),T partial evaporation ot the absorbing' liquid. This is illustrated as a pair ot and the compar'mey superposed eoolinr; coils 22 and 23 with perforated partitions 24, 25 and 26. The pertorations are so located that the 'gras and any Water vapor which may accompany it. is directed against the surface of the cooling coils. Any suitable cooling Huid may be caused to circulate the. distilliney "ally or man-` period, and may be autom" i ually controlled by any suitable form et valves, not shown.

resistance units longitudinally In the opera-tion et the construction illustrated the re eptaele is filled through any suitable filling opening' (not shown) to the cesired level with Water or other absorbing liquid, the quantity being somewhat `less than enough to till one ot the two compartments. lt will be noted that the only outlet from the chamber ll is through the pipe la which leads trom near the bottom of this chamber. Therefore during the heating; period the gas distilled off from the liquid in the chamber ll will cause a gas pressure above the surface of the liquid which will torce substantially all el: the strong liquor' through the pipe i4 into the chamber l2 Where the pressure is lower, due to the tact that this chamber' l2 has an outlet. 21 to the condenser. As longas the heating action cou-- tinues, the main body oil the liquid will remain in the chamber 12, and the jas driven off therefrom Will be cooled by the coils Y! and 23 sufficiently to condense out the steam or Water vapor but permit the remaii'iiuggj gas to go out through the pipe 2l to the condenser. `Then all ol.'Y the aliisorbed aus has been driven oil and liquefied, or `when as the gas continues to return through the pipe2l from the evapf'lrator, it will enter the chamber l2 which is nonT substantially tree trom liquid. and will pass through the pipe lA- and escape through the small holes .in the head i6 and be absorbed by the liquid. lt will thus be noted that during .the distillingg period the liquid is in the chamber l2. und the ,aras may Ytreely escupe therefrom and pass through the pipe 2l leading from a point above the liquid level. While during; the absorbing' period the main body ol the liquid will be in the chamber ll and the njas will enter this liquid by pas ing' through the pipe lll terminating in the loiver part of the body of the liquid. l`hus. proper operation is secured Without the use of, any valves or other moving parts 'for controlling the flow oi the gas. and insuring the delivery to and 'from the liquid.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 2 is similar in many respects to that above described. The main difference is that the tivo chambers lla and 12' are superposed rather tian being' disposed side by side, and the partition 13a is substantially horizontal rather than vertical. The pipe 14 leads trom a point near the bottom et' the upper chamber 12a to the perforated distributing head 16 near the bottom of the absorbing vlois chamber. ln this form we have illustrated a plurality of heating units which may be operated simultaneously 0r independently. A gas burner 18a is shown beneath the lower cmnpartment, and electric heating units 20a are located in the lower' part of the absorbing chamber. Additional heating units 2Oita are mounted in the distilling chamber 12iL near the lower portion thereof. To effect a more rapid transfer of the liquid from the absorbing chamber to t-he distilling chamber at the beginning of the heating or distilling operation, heating units 28 may be employed in the upper part of the absorbing chamber. As the heating units 2Oaa and 28 are near the partition 13SL either may be used to the exclusion of the other heating units. When the heat is turned on to the units 20aa enough heat will be transmitted to the lower chamber to effect a gas pressure therein suflicient to force the liquid to the upper chamber.

Other means might be employed for heating the liquid in the chamber llEL or by heating the gas above the liquid level in this chamber to cause the rapid transfer of the liquid through the pipe 14C- to the upper chamber, and the driving ofi' of the gas which is then dried bythe cooling coils 22a and 23a, and conducted to the condenser through the pipe 21a. When the supply of heat is shut ofll the drop in temperature and pressure in the chamber l1EL will cause the rapid return of the liquid to the lower chamber, and thereafter the gas will flow down through the pipe 14a and be absorbed by the liquid at the distributing head 16a, the liquid being cooled by the cooling coil 17a.

f The form shown in Fig. 2l is in many respects the preferred one as the superposed arrangement of the chambers causes gravity to assist in the return of all the liquid to the lower chamber at the beginning of the absorbing period.

.ln the construction shown in Fig. 3, the same principle of operation is employed. By making the absorbing chamber 11b substantially dome-shaped the distilling chamber 12b has a portion which is disposed above the absorbing chamber as in Fig. 2, and also has an annular part which is disposed along-4 side of or encircling the absorbing` chamber. The pipe 14h is of siphon form as in Fig. 1, and extends from near the bottom ofthe chamber 12b to near the bottom of the chamber 11b. Only one heating unit is illustrated, that being a gas burner 18h, beneath the absorbing chamber. The heat from this in passing up along the sides of the lower part of the distilling chamber 12b, will serve to effectively heat the distilling chamber, although additional heating units may be employed for direct heating of the distilling chamber. It is thought that the construction of the parts and the operation will be clear from the drawing and from the foregoing description.

Although the pipe 2l constitutes the only normal inlet land outlet for gas to and from the receptacle, an additional inlet pipe may be provided. After long continued operation liquid which is not readily vaporizable at the temperature of the evaporator may accumulate therein. A pipe leading from the bottom of the evaporator may connect with the absorbing chamber. Such a pipe 30 with a normally closed valve 31, is shown in Fig. 2, and a similar one may be used in the forms shown in Figs. l and 3. l/Vhen liquid from the still, or other liquid not readily vaporizable, accumulates in the evaporator, a valve in the pipe 2l may be closed and the valve 31 opened shortly after the end of the boiling period. The decreasing gas pressure in the cooled absorber, and a high pressure remaining in the evaporator, will force such liquid from the lowest part of the evaporator back to the absorber.l The valves may then be returned to their normal positions.

Although the conduits lll. lila and 14h are shown and claimed as the sole inlets and outlets of the chambers 1l, 1la and 1lb respectively, it will of course be obvious that ordinary iilling and draining openings might be used but they would remain closed while the apparatus is in use.

Having thus described our inventionI` what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An absorbing still for refrigerating appara-tus including two chambers, one adapted to serve as the main distillation chamber and having means for the admission and escape of the refrigerant gas and the other adapted to serve as an absorption chamber, and means affording communication between the two chambers, said means having orifices adjacent to the bottom of each chamber, said absorption chamber having no other inlet or outlet, whereby during the heating of the still substantially all of the strong liquor is forced out of the absorption chamber through said communication means to the distillation chamber by the accumulation of gas pressure in the absorption chamber above the said orice which forms the inlet and outlet of said chamber`r and t-he gas is thereafter distilled off from the. liquid while in the distillation ch amber, and whereby upon the cooling of the still and reduction of `as pressure in said absorption cha-mber wealr liquid is returned to said absorption chamber through. said communication means and the thereafter delivered through said communication means to the lower part of the liquid in the absorption chamber.

2. An absorb-ing still for refrigerating apparatus including an absorption chamber,

a distillation chamber, means affording communication betwveen the two chambers, said means terminating adjacent to the holtorr. olf one chamber and having an orice adjacent to the hottoin of the other chamber, there heing no other communieation between the chambers,y said distill iion chamber having means 'tor the admission and escape oi the retrigerant gas to and from 'the still, means for heating the still to effect a transfer of substantiall?,7 all oi rholiquid tln'ough said communica-tion means to distillation chamber, and means for coo-ung trie still to effect a return l'low olt the liquid through said communication means.

3. ,ln absorbing still for rel'rigerating apparatus including vessel having a partition suboividing Y, 'o an upper distillation chamber and )sorpt'on chamber, and conduit .ing one end terminating adjace.U lo the botto-ni ol one of said chambers, and the opposite end opening into the other chamber adjacent to the botn torn thereot, said conduit moans constituting the solo inlet and outlet 'to the lmver chamber, the upper f 'liainber having the admission and escape oi the gas. j

l An absorbing still for re'lri rating apA paratrs including a vessel hai ng a parti-- tion sulu'lividing it into au al'is'oiiption chamber and a distillation chainher, conduit means extei'iding from one chan'iber to the other and having no orifice in the absorption chamber except adjacent to the bottom ot the latter and having an orifice Vin the distillation chamber' adjacent to the bottoni thereof, said conduit means constituting the sole inlely to and outlet -from the absorption chamber, and the distillation chamber having a gas inlet and outlet, mear s for heating the still, vfherelivY there is effected a transfer oit substantially all oiI the strong liquor through said conduit means-5 to said distillation chamber and the distillation oli gas troni said liquor, and ine-ans for cooling the still wherebi7 there is effected a return flow oiI the weak liquor' through said conduit means to said absorption chamber and the later deliverj7 oi gas through said conduit n'ieans to the lower part oi the liquor.

An absorbing still 'for reti 2r-ating apparatus includingl a pair ot chambers, a duit haring its ends adj :"ffnt `to the bottoms ol" said chambers respei'tively, and constituting the sole inlet and outlet tor one chamber, a gas inlet and outlet :for the other chamber, means l'or heating the still to etl'ezt a transfer ot sub." utially all Oi' the strong liquor from 'the t. st mentioned chamber 'to they second mentioned chamber through said conduit, and neans for cooling the still to e'liect a return dow ol' the Weak liquor to said chamber.

6. An absorbing still for refrigerating ap- COU" `f ont to the bottom oi? one chamber and the other end provided with a perforz `l dis tributinghead within the other chamber adjacent to 'the bottom thereof, means ior applying heat to the still adjacent to said partition, and means for cooling the still, said lirst mentioned chamber having means Jfor the admission and escape of the relrigerant.

T. VAln absor i ig still `tor rei'rigerating an paratus including a vessel having a partition i'formiirg tivo sup(V posed chamoers, con-V fluit means having one end opening into the lower part or' the lower chamber and the other end opening into the lower part ot the. upper chamber, and constituti the sole inlet and outlet to the lower chamber: means for the admission and escape of refrigerant gas to and 'from the upper chambern and means adjacent to said partition for heating the still.

8. An. absorbing still 'for retrigerating apparatus including a vessel having a partition subdividing it into an absorption ehanr ber and a distillation chamber, conduit means leading from near the bottom ot one chamber to near the bottom of the other to afford communication between said chambers and constituting the sole inlet and outlet tor the absorption chamber, means for the adi'nission and escape of refrigerant gas ifrorn the distillation chamber, and means closely adjacent to the bottom oi the distillation. chamber -for heating the liquid and driving oft the gas and at the same time maintain suilicient gas pressure in the absorption chamber to prevent the retention oit auf,7 sub stantial amount of liquid in the latter during the action oil? said heating means.

9. An absorbing still for relrigerating` amaaratus, including a vessel having a parl tition therein subdividing the same into two chambers, one serving as a distilling chamber and having a gas inlet and outlet, and the other serving as an absorber and having conduit meansleading from the bottom thereof nearly to the bottom oi' the first mentioned chamber, and independent means ior cooling each of said chambers, the cooling means in the lirst mentioned chamber being in, the upper part thereof.

l0.- An absorbing still for retrigeratiug apparatus including a pair of superposed chambers, conduit means having one end opening into the lower part of one chamber and the other end opening into the lower part vol' the other chamber, and constituting the sole gas inlet and gas outlet for the lower chamber, means for the admission and escape oit' the refrigerant gas to and -from the upper chamber, and a normally closed liquid return pipe communicating with the .lower chamber.

lili) l, l. l)

ll. An absorbing still for refrigerating apparatus including a vessel having a partition forming two superposed chambers, conduit means having one end opening into the lower part of the lower chamber and the other end opening into the lower part of the upper chamber, and constituting the sole inlet and outlet to the lower chamber, means for the admission and escape of the refrigerant gas to and from the upper chamber, means for heating the still, and means in the upper portion of the upper chamber for cooling the gases driven off during the heating of the still to condense water vapor therefrom.

l2. An absorbing still for refrigerating apparatus including a vessel having two partitions therein subdividing the same into three chambers, means affording communication between two of said chambers, said means extending from the lower part of one to the lower part of the other, there being no other inlet or outlet for one of said two chambers, and means establishing communication between the other of said two chambers and the third chamber, said third chamber having means for the admission and escape of the refrigerant gas to and from the still.

13. An absorbing still for refrigerating apparatus including three chambers, means affording communication between two of said chambers, said means extending from the lower part of one to the lower part of the other` there being` no other communication between said two chambers, and means establishing communication between one of said two chambers and the third chamber, said third chamber having means for the admission and escape of the refrigerant gas to and from the still, means for heating the still to effect a transfer o-f liquid through said first-mentioned communication means in one direction, means for cooling the still to effect a return flow of liquid through said first-'mentioned communication means, and means associated with said third chamber for cooling the gas to separate out water vapor.

14. An absorbing still for refrigerating apparatus including three superposed chambers, means aiiording communication between the lower and the middle chambers, said means extending from the lower part of one to the lower part of the other, there being no other communication between said two chambers, and means establishing communication between the middle chamber and the upper chamber, .said upper chamber havingmeans for the admission and escape of the refrigerant gas to and from the still.

l5. An absorbing still for refrigera-ting apparatus, including a vessel having a pair of transverse partitions, a port serving as a gas inlet and outlet above the upper partition, said upper partition being perforated, a conduit leading from the lower portion of the chamber between said partitions to the lower portion of the chamber below the lower partition and terminating in a perforated distributer head, said conduit serving for the delivery of liquid from the lower chamber to the middle chamber upon the heat-ing of the lower chamber, and serving for the return of said liquid to the lower chamber, and the delivery of gas to the liquid below the surface of the latter upon the cooling of the lower chamber.

Signed at Scranton in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania this 10th day of Dec. A. D. 1922.

STUART OTTO. JACK CARL JANKUS. 

